The LSU Student Senate held its first legislative meeting Wednesday evening, vowing to continue to remain active before spring elections begin. Speaker Adam Grashoff reminded senators to stay united as SG heads into a tumultuous campaign season.
Grashoff encouraged senators not to wait to propose legislation that could directly impact students.
“We’re working together as one body to benefit students,” Grashoff said. “I promise you if [the legislation] benefits students now, it’ll benefit them next semester as well.”
The Senate will continue to work with SG president Andrew Mahtook and vice president Hannah Knight to carry out legislation that will improve students’ experiences on campus.
The meeting focused on planning committees for the current legislative session and revisited initiatives from last semester that will be implemented in upcoming weeks. Although the first meeting was mostly an introductory meeting, certain issues concerning the LSU campus were discussed.
Director of First Year Experience Missy Korduner explained one of the newest ideas from the FYE Office — a First Year Seminar for incoming students. The program would target different groups like veteran, international and transfer students to help the transition to LSU’s campus environment.
Korduner outlined the course and said the one credit hour class, would teach students university policies, critical thinking skills, and how to utilize LSU resources like the Center for Academic Success. Through the class, Korduner hopes to engage students inside and outside of academic life.
“Our plan for fall 2016 is that we will have a small pilot to launch of about 500 incoming students,” Korduner said. The seminar would be led by a faculty or staff member with the assistance of a peer mentor and would be composed of 20 sections of 25 students each.
Other initiatives for the upcoming weeks include finalizing plans for the planting of satsuma trees across campus. Student senator Hayden Pizzolato, who proposed the bill last semester, said that students could begin to see the trees around campus in the near future.
The Senate approved SG Finance Bill No. 7, which allocated $3,300 to plant 50 satsuma trees around campus.
“We’ve narrowed down the locations and we’re going to start getting permits, so things should be warming up now that school’s getting back,” Pizzolato said.
In his executive report, Mahtook highlighted the improvements SG made last semester and looked forward to what’s to come, saying the key to a successful semester is “constant communication with students.”
Before campaign season kicks off, Grashoff wants to make sure SG is doing as much as possible to help students.
“There are a lot of opportunities to go meet with students,” Grashoff said. “Student Government is working as one body to help students do better.”